// PC GAMER — GAMING
Be Quiet! Light Mount TKL review
Still just as quiet, still looking great, but now in a more space-saving form factor with SOCD. Beyond that though, other small keyboards leave the Light Mount TKL's offering of gaming features in the dust.
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My prime PC gaming hours tend to be when the rest of my household is already in bed. As such, the fantastically clicky-clacky key presses of a mechanical gaming keyboard echoing through our halls isn't really ideal. It's just as well then that Be Quiet! is back with a welcome update to the very nearly silent keyboard I loved last year, the Light Mount.
As someone with a perennially messy desk, the Light Mount TKL's 80% size is just right; I have room to swish my mouse, and I find I'm not forever accidentally hitting the capslock key as with other cut-down keebs. This TKL update offers more than just a smaller form factor, though, introducing the next generation of Be Quiet!'s Silent switches in Linear and Tactile flavours.
This TKL update also addresses one of the key problems I had with the original Light Mount by introducing new gaming features. This includes Quick Tap (SOCD), which will be sweet percussion to the ears of shooter fans—and at best eyebrow raising for the esports sickos. For those unfamiliar, SOCD stands for 'Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions'. Features falling under this umbrella, like Razer's Snap Tap and now Be Quiet!'s Quick Tap, prioritises your most recent directional input, making for strafing so efficient that Valve banned it from Counter-Strike 2.
Alongside Quick Tap, there's also more options for macros, and a few fresh customisation options within the IO center software. While I appreciate these additions and expansions, the TKL still isn't the most feature-packed gaming keyboard you'll find.
I still love the even-quieter switches, though. Coupled with the TKL's sturdy construction, this makes for another smart-looking package. However, it's rocking up to the rowdy PC gaming party as the quiet kid in the corner—that is to say, while some will definitely appreciate its charms, it can't compete with the louder, more popular keeb crowd.
✅ You want something that's actually quiet: If clackier keyboards are just too loud, this is the one for you. Better yet, the new V2 Silent switches are even quieter than their predecessors.✅ You want a keyboard for both work and play: This board's smart looks mean it will be just as at home in the office as it is next to your RGB-illuminated rig.
❌ You're looking for a gaming keyboard that's the complete package: Though this does bring a few new things to Be Quiet's table, it's less fully-featured than other TKL options.❌ You're working with an extremely limited amount of desk space: As an 80% keyboard, you can definitely go smaller.
Still just as quiet, still looking great, but now in a more space-saving form factor with SOCD. Beyond that though, other small keyboards leave the Light Mount TKL's offering of gaming features in the dust.